


Castle Rock: Become Human

by grayorca15, YearwalktheWorld



Category: Castle Rock (TV), Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Future, Androids, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-12 00:03:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18434885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grayorca15/pseuds/grayorca15, https://archiveofourown.org/users/YearwalktheWorld/pseuds/YearwalktheWorld
Summary: By the time RK800 #317 248 809 -51 located the bar, the light drizzle which had started some time ago had turned into the beginnings of what promised to be a downpour.Humans may have said this was a bad omen, or a warning sign that the night would not go well, especially with a mission such as his. They might have even felt leery, or uneasy, at the prospect of being caught in the rain.Nicholas didn't feel any of that.~~~Or: The Kid and Dennis Zalewski in similar roles to Connor and Hank from Detroit: Become Human, but in Castle Rock.





	Castle Rock: Become Human

**Author's Note:**

> New story by us, yet again. This one with Nick and Den as usual, but in the sorta kinda vague roles of Connor and Hank. Will differentiate themselves from them more as the story continues.

By the time RK800 #317 248 809 -51 located the bar, the light drizzle which had started some time ago had turned into the beginnings of what promised to be a downpour.

Humans may have said this was a bad omen, or a warning sign that the night would not go well, especially with a mission such as his. They might have even felt leery, or uneasy, at the prospect of being caught in the rain.

Nicholas didn't feel any of that.

( _Because he didn't feel anything, nothing at all, just the way he and others like him were made, and that was the way it would stay, he would make sure of it, his sole, important mission_ )

Not even when he stepped up to the entrance, scratched and gouged, evidently old enough to perhaps be considered vintage, and read the sign on the door of The Mellow Tiger did he consider being perturbed.

( _In Castle Rock, Maine, someone else may have wondered just why a man who worked in Boston was so far away, what this tiny, nowhere town had for him, but Nicholas didn't feel and he didn't wonder beyond what was necessary, so he didn't bother_ )

Or, the one that applied to him. Seeing as he wasn't a dog, the decal of a canine silhouette with a circle and slash through it didn't warrant anything more than a glance.

_No Androids Allowed  
Owners will be prosecuted._ 

As if trying to draw more attention to it, this decal was printed in red. The traditional blue triangle, emblazoned on android uniforms, was stamped above the words to help anyone who somehow still weren’t sure what it meant.

( _And the cyan blue of the triangle was a much closer match to his LED, no color changes as of yet, no conflicts or stress forcing it to whir faster, just the same slow, calm blue he wore_ )

With a town as small as Castle Rock, Nicholas wouldn't have reasoned there would be many androids, if any at all. But evidently, whoever owned the bar still wished to keep any who might show up from making an entrance. It ought to be an easy enough rule to enforce, given the rarity.

Almost all androids would have thoughtlessly obeyed such a command, even just a written one. Those who ignored it could probably be lumped into the category of those who Nicholas was meant to hunt down.

He was an exception. If he didn't have explicit orders to find and collect Lieutenant Zalewski, he wouldn't ever bother to enter such a place. But the order overrode any base programming that might have protested when he gripped the handle.

There was a bigger mission at stake than the honoring of the bar owner's property rules.

Pushing it open, Nicholas blinked once, adjusting automatically to the new rise in air temperature, and soft sound of music that began to play. It wasn't the high, digital-smooth quality that could be achieved so easily nowadays, instead slightly muffled and scratchy.

Some interior-designer aesthetics enjoyed the more vintage quality, in look and sound, one this bar clearly embraced, with its sound system and real wooden paneling, even cracked at some parts. Old sports memorabilia in the form of framed posters and pennants and signed photos adorned said walls. The sign on the door was a means of protecting this piece of history, no matter what the world was like outside it.

And with the looks Nicholas was getting from the few backwoods patrons he could see, it was clear he had broken such an illusion.

( _Not that he was at all afraid or worried over what they would do, because none of these men would enjoy the bill that came after from destroying CyberLife's most advanced model yet, something they would never be able to afford, not enough made in any one of their lifetimes could pay his replacement cost_ )

“Fuck, I thought androids weren't allowed here.” Someone brave enough to speak first piped up, but didn't speak again when no one else took the cue and joined in.

The door swung shut behind him, slow from age, and to allow anyone who might be drunk the time to actually try and exit/enter the bar. Nicholas had beat it by seconds.

With the creaking sound, some of the patrons elected to stop glaring at him, and instead look elsewhere, most electing to resume sipping alcohol. Some continued to gawk at him.

( _And he was quite the sight as well, tall and imposing with a blank face to match as he debated his options, LED speeding up to match his processors, even if he were human he would probably stand out in a crowd_ )

_[Mission: Find Lt. Zalewski]_

_Enable Facial Recognition Scanner?_

_Yes / No_

Nicholas almost selected yes, before another subprogram kicked in, forcing him to hesitate.

Prowling down the rows of people, while looking each in the eye, would no doubt aggravate anyone who noticed. Even if they didn't threaten him physically, it would lower collective morale, perhaps even make his mission more difficult, especially if things turned hostile.

That wasn't the only reason his social integration programs read out, either.

Lieutenant Zalewski was in bar prohibiting androids’ presence. Although that might have just been coincidence, or for any number of reasons, it wasn't unwise to think that could have some measure of significance. Seeing an android use what was obviously a feature of his design could very well anger the man once he was found.

Logically, it made the most sense to take a more human approach first.

_[Selected: No]_

Instead, Nicholas made his way to the bar, dimly lit and just as old and scarred as everything else was in the aging, two-story building. The bartender behind watched him warily, polishing the inside of the glass as he did so.

There were few men sitting there, on the stools, most of the others instead opting to take the benches. It wasn't hard to find a spot to slip between two stools, one hand braced against the countertop.

“Hello. I'm searching for a Lieutenant Dennis Zalewski. Do you know where I could find him?”

Short, without being clipped. Concise, without seeming hurried or frantic. His social integration program informed him that the formulated sentences were adequate.

( _And he almost frowned, almost already wondered what he could have done better, what were good sentences as opposed to adequate, what other details he should have added or taken away, how he could do better next time_ )

Without saying anything in response, the man bit his lip, before nodding toward the end of the bar. Nicholas turned his head to locate just who he was gesturing to.

One lone man, a seat away from the very end, was hunched over a small glass, face turned down, finger toying with the rim of it, running over and over instead of taking another drink.

“Thank you.”

Nothing else to say, he didn't bother to look back, just tap the bar once in acknowledgment, before moving on.

Lieutenant Dennis Zalewski had red hair, still regulation length, instead of any longer, wilder style. Only the top was lengthier than the rest, combed around to one side in a low sweep, and even that was still short. His blue eyes had prominent dark bags under each of them, odd for someone supposed to be on a vacation.

( _Nicholas quietly filed the information away, if he ever needed a personal question for the Lieutenant to strengthen their relationship it was best to start gathering the details he could while he had time_ )

The man didn't even bother looking up at him, even when Nicholas stepped up beside him, almost directly. A single step further and he would be in line.

“Lieutenant Zalewski. My name is Nicholas, I'm the android sent by CyberLife.”

He waited a beat, to see if that would get a reaction, or any words back. Even if the probability was low, there was always a chance it would happen.

Mulling over his introduction at great length, Zalewski finally acknowledged it with a tired-sounding sigh. Hunched into his jacket, he didn’t look morose, exactly, but he clearly wasn’t looking for a drinking buddy, either.

Especially not the thirium-chugging kind.

“And… clearly ya don’t know how ta read. Beat it. ‘M busy.”

Any response was better than no reaction at all. Being told to beat it still opened up a line of dialogue that was previously closed. It meant he could continue, and find a way to make Zalewski see reason.

( _Or, as humans would say, it was better than nothing, much better than that, he could have used a simple shrug but instead got this_ )

“I know how to read, but I chose to enter to find you, Lieutenant. Regrettably, you're going to have to cut your vacation short, and come with me.”

Nicholas weighed the words carefully, even as he said them. What would be a step too far, and what would be able to prod the man into action? Humans could be fickle, changing how they felt by the minute. What worked one moment could be disastrous the next.

If Zalewski seemed receptive, he could explain the actual mission he was assigned next. If not, the policeman would simply take some more convincing.

Something like irritation crossed Zalewski’s face. Brows bent, he stopped tracing the glass, painstakingly craning his head up to level fuzzy blue eyes at his new company. “You wanna explain that better, before I go jumpin’ to conclusions of the not-so-genial variety?”

“Of course. At Boston Police Department’s request, CyberLife has allocated me, a specialized model, to help with some recent investigations. Since you're Lieutenant…” Dropping a hand back onto the bar, like before, Nicholas tried to appear more casual. Perhaps he was giving off too many reminders of just how robotic he really was for the man's taste.

“I've been assigned to you. We're to return to the city at the earliest convenience.”

He was sure Zalewski would understand what he meant. There was no choice in the matter - they were to make their way to Boston, as quickly as they could. Whatever there was here for the Lieutenant, he would have to wrap his business up as soon as possible.

If all went well, they would hopefully be on their way to Boston by early morning. Nicholas wasn't unreasonable - he could understand that any human would need a few hours to pack and prepare. That would be all. The man could sleep on the way down, if need be, as he knew how to drive. There was no reason for a whole overnight stay.

Contrary to the half-finished glass in front of him (and a few other empty ones standing watch), Zalewski didn’t seem more inebriated than he was simply tired. He seemed to ponder the explanation at great length, looking neither furious or disappointed a higher power had arbitrarily seen fit to interrupt his paid time off the job. Instead of waiting it’s turn, the job had come and found him.

He reacted with some of his trademark charm: “Pft. That’s nice. And just what’s so goddamned urgent I’m somehow the only cop in Boston who got their name drawn out of that hat?”

“As Lieutenant, you're the highest ranking officer I could be assigned to, and still be able to actively work on cases with your department. The urgency can be explained on the way down. Not here.” Perhaps Zalewski would take that as an insult to the locals who were milling about the bar, but Nicholas didn't think to correct, or reason why.

It wasn't anything in particular about those residing in Castle Rock. Just that he wouldn't be taking the risk of letting any sensitive information be heard by anyone there.

If the apparent secrecy was of any intrigue to the man, it didn’t show. Scoffing, he ran a hand over his face, momentarily pressing at the bags under his eyes, with one hard reset of a blink. “Fuck. I’m not nearly buzzed enough to find any of this even slightly funny. I would say you wasted your time, trackin’ me down, but you can always go cool your heels at the county stationhouse until I get my act together.”

“That's not going to work. Unfortunately, we don't have that time, Lieutenant.” It wouldn't stand for them to drag their feet at any moment that they could be up and moving, especially with Nicholas to encourage the behavior. It didn't particularly matter if he was getting his act together now, or would need the time - Zalewski could take it on the ride down.

The hours Nicholas reasoned were acceptable for allowing the human to pack and get ready were forever dwindling. If the man didn't agree soon, the RK800 could take more drastic measures to try and ensure they reached Boston in due time.

The glass, still with liquid inside of it caught his eye. A pre-construction started up, just the barest idea of a hand reaching for it, and overturning, before it winked out.

( _Another started up, the idea of words, waving at the bartender, but the man didn't even seem to be drinking his latest for what it was worth, would another - free of charge - convince Zalewski to come along? His logic argued against it, the scene set out in front of him_ )

That could work, if his social integration programs failed to successfully convince Zalewski to come with him.

“We really must be leaving. I understand this is a bad time, given it's your vacation, but the situation can not wait any longer.”

“You’re an insistent little shit, I’ll give you that,” Dennis grumbled, pressing and pawing at his fatigued eyes again. Sparing the android another half-serious lookover, more up than down, he scoffed. “Emphasis on insistent. Who dressed you, _Tron_ convention cosplayers?”

All words that had relatively no meaning to him past what could be found on the internet about each. None of them fit, either - before he could open his mouth to question, his social integration filled in for him. Zalewski was very fond of sarcasm, it seemed.

“No. I was dressed by CyberLife employees, but I can also dress myself, if I must. Is there anything else you wish to ask, or can we leave?”

Insistent. Maybe that word did fit him, to some degree, at least in the human's eyes. Nicholas wasn't driven by anything as human as that, instead his preselected mission filling in the gaps. But it could appear that way, and given how he was meant to adapt, he could take it.

“Sure. You can leave whenever you please. I’ll follow on my own time.” Flagrantly thumbing his nose at the suggestion, Zalewski picked the shot of whisky up, tipping half of it back. “Catch the next bus. We’ll dovetail it back to Boston.”

That would not work. Did the man not realize his mission at the moment directly stipulated that he leave with him, as soon as possible? Or that he couldn't ignore his own coding to allow the Lieutenant whatever time he was trying to buy?

“Again, that's not going to work, Lieutenant. I've asked nicely,” Nicholas began, taking his step to be more in line. It didn't matter whether Zalewski thought he was being courteous now or not - his social integration program had given him all the necessary steps to appear patient and respectful. If they didn't work, they didn't work. “I'll ask you once more - will we leave now?”

His hand landed on the man's shoulder, giving it one squeeze before resting. If patient didn't work, Nicholas could resort to imposing some physical form of authority. If wasn't him, per se, but who was working through him - CyberLife at large. They wouldn't care how he achieved his mission, as long as Zalewski wasn't hurt.

Grabbing him and pulling him along wouldn't do that. The height difference would weigh in his favor.

Glass in hand, Zalewski froze at the touch, taking a very slow, deliberate frown at the hand on his sleeve, still dotted with rainwater. The murmurs around them seemed to die down, even as the radio continued to drone on with its latest track by Blue Oyster Cult. Attention arrested, Dennis would have to appreciate the irony of the lyrics later.

“Tch. Negative.”

Response given, perhaps sensing the futility of trying to shrug the hand off, the policeman returned focus to swigging the last of the amber-colored alcohol.

Once the glass was safely on the bar again - he would avoid breaking any of The Mellow Tiger’s property if it was possible - Nicholas squeezed the man's shoulder again, the other hand positioning underneath his arm, before giving one hard yank to stand him up. He could efficiently steady them both, and stop the stool from moving.

The only problem to factor in is how Zalewski and other humans would take the more aggressive turn of events.

“ _Sorry,_ Lieutenant. I gave you fair warning. You don't have the option of staying any longer.”

Without waiting for a response, one foot steadying the stool before it could fall, Nicholas began to make his way for the door, dragging the man behind.

To his credit, Zalewski didn’t immediately pitch a fit, shouting and struggling as any would-be drunkard might. He stumbled at being wrenched up, growling something along the lines of there being “no likable options”, fumbling only enough to grab his wallet before it could be left behind.

Their demonstration was met with mostly disinterested stares. No one among the patrons seemed raring to jump to their fellow customer’s defense. Even the bartender continued to keep his eyes down, having moved on to polishing glass ashtrays.

It wasn't what Nicholas expected. Even if no one outright took a stand against such blatant handling of a human by an android, to not even have a comment or two made went against his pre-constructions of what was most likely going to occur.

( _Which logically meant it had something to do with Lieutenant Zalewski himself, it was the simplest answer to the question, more information he tucked away, something he could bring up again if he ever needed to for one reason, humans were unpredictable so he never knew what would be needed and what wouldn't be_ )

Their path to the door was unobstructed, making it easy to reach in a matter of seconds. Removing one of his hands to brace against the door, ready to push, Nicholas followed his social integration program’s suggestion and looked back at the Lieutenant.

Letting his face take on the expression it required, Nicholas felt his lips curl upwards into a lopsided smile. Humans didn't like that, which was perfect, no matter how they said they did - an off smile would help make him closer to Zalewski.

_[Mission Status of Find Lt. Zalewski: Completed]_

_[New Mission: Accompany Lt. Zalewski to Boston]_

_Mission Terms Understood?_

_Yes/No_

“Thank you for your cooperation, Lieutenant.”

_[Selected: Yes]_


End file.
